The Only 10 CBD Products To Buy For Pain, Sleep, Anxiety, And Cramps
by Marissa Pomerance
So. Let’s start with the question on all of our minds:
Does CBD actually do anything?
In terms of hard and fast peer-reviewed studies, the jury is still out. Though as we talk about here, that can often mean something is too new to have a breadth of research behind it. So at this stage, it’s up to you to individually research CBD, and decide if you’re comfortable with the studies that currently exist. But, unassailably, CBD has many potential applications.
So then we are onto the next sea of confusing questions:
What kind of product should I buy? What do I look for? What’s fake? What’s real? Is there just a guide so that I know what to look for and what to dismiss?
Oh, lookie here. We did that dirty work for you. And we made that guide. We also combed through the endless products claiming to be miracle workers — and we rejected most of them.
Here’s what we found to be the most legit products on the market.
A Quick CBD Refresher/ Some Terms To Know
If you’ve already read a thousand articles that explain how “CBD is non-psychoactive,” feel free to skip ahead.
But if you’re still confused by all the various terms, here’s a quick refresher:
What exactly is CBD: CBD, or Cannabidiol, is a compound found in cannabis plants, including both hemp and marijuana, which are different (hemp contains less than .3% THC, while marijuana has around 20% THC).
CBD vs THC: CBD is not the same as THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis, though CBD products can contain varying levels of THC. So no, CBD itself is not psychoactive.
FDA Regulation: CBD is not regulated by the FDA, which means that what’s in the bottle might not always match what’s listed on the label.
Is it safe? Are there side effects? Since there are limited studies on CBD’s safety, we don’t know much about the potential side effects or long-term effects. But according to the FDA, potential side effects include drowsiness, liver injury, interaction with medications, gastrointestinal distress, and damage to men’s fertility.
What about CBD vape pens? You’ll see that we don’t recommend any CBD vape pens. Multiple people have gotten sick from vaping CBD, the CDC recommends not vaping CBD, and the safety of CBD vape pens has been continually called into question, so we’re erring on the side of caution here.
Is it effective? Does it have any proven uses? There are only limited studies so far on the efficacy of CBD. Only one CBD product has been FDA-approved, and it’s for treating severe seizures and epilepsy.
Pain: Though some preclinical studies have demonstrated potential links between CBD and the reduction of pain and inflammation, many of these studies have only been done on animals. And a lot of the research on pain looks at the effects of cannabis as a whole (with THC), not just CBD. So while there’s some promising evidence, we just don’t really have enough hard proof yet that CBD can reduce pain.
Anxiety: There is some preclinical evidence from human studies that CBD can help anxiety. CBD has shown limited but potentially promising benefits for anxiety by acting on receptors in the central nervous system and altering serotonin levels.
Sleep: Like anxiety and pain, the science examining the relationship between CBD and sleep is sparse. However, some studies have shown promising (albeit limited) evidence that CBD may help with sleep. So far, though, it’s unclear how much CBD one should take, or for how long, to help them sleep.
The next frontier or placebo effect? Because cannabis was considered a “Schedule 1” drug for so long, it’s only been in the last few years that scientists have even been allowed to study CBD in the US— and still, there’s a lot of red tape involved. This confounding, sort-of-regulation has created an odd, complex situation in which CBD products have flooded the market before large clinical studies have had a chance to fully examine these products’ safety, efficacy, or ingredients, leaving the consumer to try to make the most informed decision possible without all the facts. But just because CBD is still being studied, and we don’t have enough science to prove its effects yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t/can’t work. And even if its benefits are just placebo effect, well, the placebo effect is powerful. Because if you feel less anxious, or like you’re sleeping better, or like you’re suffering through less pain…then aren’t you?
Usually, when shopping for CBD products, you might see terms like “full spectrum” tossed around. Here’s what they mean:
CBD Isolate: This is just CBD without other cannabinoids or THC.
Broad-Spectrum CBD: CBD, plus other cannabinoids, but usually no THC.
Full-spectrum CBD: CBD, all cannabinoids, including THC.
Our Product Search Criteria
Ever since restrictions were lifted on hemp in 2018, the market became flooded with CBD products of every shape and form.
And since we’re not interested in just any CBD product with god-knows-what in the ingredients, we specifically looked for products that matched the following criteria:
Made with US-grown hemp
Use third-party testing
Don’t make outrageous health claims
Use organic or high-quality ingredients
Haven’t been issued warnings by the FDA
We also paid close attention to customer reviews, sought out products that weren’t exorbitantly expensive, and made sure they either had trace amounts of or were free from THC. We’re not trying to get high, here-- we just want some relief.
Without further ado, here’s what we found.
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